Boss Looking To Strengthen Squad

With the January transfer window due to open in a matter of days, Alan Pardew has revealed that he has already been on the phone in an effort to bolster his squad for the New Year.

Clubs can sign new players from 1st January and despite his side riding high in seventh position in the Barclays Premier League, Pardew is keen to add reinforcements, particularly with Steven Taylor ruled out for the season through injury.

But the Magpies manager believes it is not an easy time to sign players, with many sides desperate to hang onto their star assets.

"We have made some calls to try and find out who is available. It's a difficult window; we want to try and get a good player in a window when teams don't want to lose their good players, so it's difficult for us and difficult for every team.

"You locate a player but then they've got to get a replacement, and is another first-team going to let a replacement go? So there's a knock-on effect.